


The Little Mermaid Meets Titanium

by cheeky_geek_m0nkey



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 12:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5128379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheeky_geek_m0nkey/pseuds/cheeky_geek_m0nkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beca is not someone who dressed up for Halloween, let alone dressing sexily. But, this game of flirting with Chloe is too much fun to pass up. </p><p>Because...it's fun...and just fun...yeah?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Little Mermaid Meets Titanium

**Author's Note:**

> Halloween prompt: the bellas go to a Halloween party and thinks that Beca won't turn up because she totally blew it off earlier. Beca then turns up in a sexy costume tor something to that extent? And everyone is shocked? Just do your thing, that's if you want, but it would make my day :) love your minifics — sent by anonymous

“Beca,” Chloe called as she walked up the steps, her hands locked in her hair. “I need your hands.” 

“I’ve heard that before,” Beca said when she heard the footsteps come close enough to the end of the stairs for Chloe to hear. 

Slipping her headphones off, she saved her work again. At most, she had another hour of work left on the mix she was currently tearing apart. 

Chloe was standing with one hand on the banister, the other still in her hair, donning Stacie’s bright green skirt and a purple bra. “You’re a tease,” she said effortlessly, rolling her eyes at Beca and earning a smile. 

Beca still liked this - the sense of heated  _something_ that passed between them when one of them said the right kind of offhandedly suggestive thing. She found that it was fun, exciting even, and though she had a worry that it might have gotten excessive recently, she wasn’t much for the average adrenaline-pumping activities, so this had to suffice. 

Of course, there was that touch of something  _more_ than excitement occurring at the current moment, because Chloe Beale was standing in the entrance to her room in a Little Mermaid outfit that was near-nude, and if the seashells worked for Ariel, then they got some kind of promotion when it came to Chloe. 

She walked over to Chloe while appraising her somewhat openly, fully aware of Chloe’s knowing grin but choosing to push it out of her mind. 

“Like what you see?” 

“Shut up,” Beca grumbled, holding her hand out. Chloe slipped a hand in the bra, searching around until she pulled out a bobby pin with a look of victory on her face. Leaning close enough to smell the beginnings of a beer scent on Chloe’s breath, she tugged at the front few pieces of Chloe’s hair, moving them just enough to create the desired effect. “I don’t see why this is necessary.” 

“Because, Beca,” Chloe started, like she was offended Beca didn’t understand, “As a ginger, this is the  _only_ time of the year my hair is an asset to me. And sexy Annie just really doesn’t feel the same.” 

Crossing her arms, Beca stepped back and gave Chloe one more once over. When she reached the girl’s eyes, Chloe waggled her eyebrows, effectively causing Beca to spin on her heels and sigh. “And while your everyday look is certainly sexy enough, Becs, I don’t know if this outfit is really costume worthy.” 

“I have to finish my mix,” Beca said, her eyes already slipping back over the song she was working on. Chloe groaned, throwing her hands on the banister. 

“Becaaaaaa.”

“Chloeeeeee,” Beca said in return. She thought, briefly, about the clothes she had hanging up in closet, and of the woman standing in front of her, and about whether this would be taking the game a step too far. 

She felt that it was all about boosting each other’s confidence. Maybe. This act of flirting between the two of them helped Beca to feel more…capable. Or beautiful. Or something. Worthy, at least, of Chloe’s glance - and worthy, therefore, of everyone else’s. So when she bought the costume that hung in her closet, it was with that exact same mindset. Partly her competitive nature and the desire to shock Chloe much in the way she  _knew_ Chloe had wanted to shock her, and partly to see if she could or would have enough faith in herself to wear it out. 

So, maybe, a piece of it too was the way she appreciated Chloe’s eyes falling over her form, because it was always done with an air of impressedness and because it always sent a certain flutter down Beca’s back. But that wasn’t the whole reason, so it wasn’t really a reason she had to consider at all. 

“Fine,” Chloe chirped, stepping down one step. “Be a party pooper.” 

“Who said I was a party pooper?” Beca shouted from her bed. Chloe, though, had already hopped her way down the steps, greeting what sounded like Stacie at the bottom of the stairs, if the excited squeals had anything to do with it. 

The Bellas left in a caravan, like they usually did on the weekends, about a half hour after that, leaving Beca alone in the house and drowning in the silence. She felt like she was living inside a horror movie, then, only the monster in her closet wasn’t a monster at all. Just an outfit. One that Stacie would wear outside on a  _normal_ day, Beca was sure. 

She closed her laptop slowly, as if any sudden movements might shift the atmosphere suddenly. By the time she made it to her closet, she almost completely talked herself out of it. It was only when she had a sudden flash of Chloe, standing at the banister, her hip cocked and her lips pursed, that the surge of certainty poured through her again. 

So she didn’t spend too much time prepping, starting with a large glass - yes,  _glass_ \- of vodka and avoiding the mirror at all costs with the exception of hair and makeup. When it was time for her to leave, she downed another shot, listened to her main track one more time (adding a few spontaneous dance moves to loosen up) and walked down the steps. 

The party had been going on for long enough that the room was sweaty by the time Beca walked in - windows already fogged, and house already smelling of beer. She didn’t pause for a second when she reached out to take a solo cup out of the hands of a new freshman Treble, seeing Jesse walking down the steps two-by-two. 

“Becaw!” he said, arms out for a hug. “You look….Shit, woman, you choose the year we’re not together to dress like this?” 

“You forget that when we were together, I didn’t have to try,” Beca said with a smile, fighting the urge to tug at the hem of her dress. 

When she saw it in the store - she was going to scope out any possible Bella costumes that wouldn’t require terribly posed acapella catalogues - the idea came to her almost immediately. The bravery came later. 

Or, like, not at all. 

It wasn’t really that revealing, all things considered. The dress was made of some kind of soft, metallic material - the kind that was malleable, but still reflected off of other surfaces. Like a wearable chainmail, almost. The bottom was pleated, short only because Beca wasn’t used to it, and the top came down in two strips, connecting below the waistline to reveal the curves everyone told her to “embrace” more often. And by everyone, she meant, mostly, Chloe. 

“Speaking of which,” Jesse said, seeming to almost read Beca’s mind. He pointed to the kitchen. “Chloe and the girls are all in there, I think. The Wrecking Bella…that’s a new one.” 

“Yeah, Chlo wasn’t too happy Amy was playing off of this year’s tragedy but…” Beca shrugged, worrying, then, that the action had revealed something. It was going to be a long night. “But, then again, humor’s a coping mechanism.” 

“Ohmy _God_ ,” Jessica shouted from the kitchen doorway. Ashley was by her side immediately - one dressed as eggs while the other was dressed as bacon. “Beca’s here!” 

“I’ve gotta…” Beca gestured to where the announcement, and the subsequent hoots and hollers, was coming from. Jesse nodded, moving out of the way with a box. Beca swore she heard him say “get your princess” from under his breath, but the Monster Mash was currently playing on the loudspeakers, and she was moving fast enough through the crowd as it was. 

“Holy shit,” she heard as soon as her heels - yes, her  _heels -_ made their way on the tiles. 

“That is  _not_ Beca, Jess,” Amy said. She was holding her construction mallet protectively, eying Beca with suspicion. 

“No, it’s a fucking model,” Stacie slurred, reaching up to touch Beca’s face. “This makeup is…” 

Cynthia Rose, by Stacie’s side in seconds, let out a puff of air to express the sentiment properly. Beca had worked on the makeup, trying her best to achieve some sort of smoky eye while still managing to keep up the metallic theme, rimming her eyes in silver instead of her tell-tale black. 

“No offense, Stace, but if I knew this existed under all that goth, I would’ve picked Beca for my semi-straight girl crush,” CR muttered into her Solo cup. Beca furrowed her eyebrows, but before she could answer, CR held her hand up. “Don’t try to deny that semi-straight part.” 

“Speaking of which,” Stacie said, in the  _same_ exact tone as Jesse - which, what was  _that_ about, Beca thought - moving out of the way so that Chloe, who’d just come out of the bathroom, had a full view of Beca. 

“Beca?” 

“Hey,” Beca said, holding out a hand for a weak, uncomfortable wave. 

Their game had always been based in this sense of confidence between the two of them, but here, now, Beca found herself the most nervous for Chloe’s reaction. She suddenly felt very silly, dressing up for this goddamned Halloween party and  _actually_ giving a fuck. It didn’t fit her, she thought, and neither did the dress. 

“You…” Chloe breathed out, taking a step closer to Beca. 

“I’m Titanium,” Beca prompted, trying for a grin that was cracked. She wiggled her shoulders for a moment. 

“God,” Chloe said. She shook her head, turning away from Beca and towards the counter. It wasn’t, admittedly, the reaction Beca was expecting, and the other Bellas scattered to the corners of the room, watching but being sure to stay out of the way. Because it was almost as if Chloe was crying and…

Okay so this wasn’t how Beca thought this would go. Like, at all. 

“Um, Chlo,” Beca walked up behind Chloe, putting a hand hesitantly on her shoulder. The other girl winced when Beca made contact, so Beca pulled away quickly, stepping back. “Did I…It was just a joke, like…I didn’t mean to…” 

Chloe sighed, and if Jesse’s comment wasn’t audible over the roar of the house party, this, somehow, was amplified. It rang through Beca’s ears so that she had to physically fight the urge to reach out again by holding her own hands. “That’s the effin’ problem,” she said, her hands covering her face. “It’s all just a joke.” 

“Okay, Chlo, I think you’ve had enough to drink for tonight,” Stacie said quickly, hopping into the area to tug at Chloe’s hips. She looked apologetically up at Beca, and Beca saw in her eyes a touch of worry, like Chloe said something she shouldn’t have. 

If she were sober, it would’ve been confusing. Here, now, half naked and very not sober, it was downright a play in a different language. 

“Chloe’s a big girl, Stace,” Beca said slowly, pulling the redhead away from Stacie’s protective grasp. “And she’s…” Beca bent down to see Chloe’s eyes, pulling a hair out of her face. “Not even drunk.” 

“It’s fine, Stacie,” Chloe held her hand up when the other girl tried to come up with another excuse. “I’m fine. I just…like…can’t play this game anymore.” 

“This game…” Beca said cautiously. Her head was tilted, and she tried her best to focus. Chloe was, admittedly, only wearing a bra. Her eyes drifted as the silence stretched between them, and it was strange how Beca could feel such concern, such instant anxiety, and still find herself warm. That kind of excitement or something more than excitement pinging in her gut. That need to push the boundaries. 

“You and me,” Chloe said. Her voice was more monotone than Beca had ever heard it, like she’d already given up the argument she was fighting. “And this little…game, or whatever. I don’t know. It’s dumb. You just…you can do things like this anymore, Beca. Please.” 

She gestured up and down at Beca’s costume, which sent Beca’s heart down to her throat. She felt offended, really, but mostly just injured. Standing in front of Chloe, she was vulnerable enough to get frostbite. It seemed, then, that the frost had bitten. 

“What the fuck, Chlo?” 

“Sorry!” Chloe shook her head. “Sorry. I just…it’s not easy for me. To see you like this. You’re…you’re dressed as my fricken’ lady jam, Beca. And it’s not really fair.” 

“Not really fair?” Beca had stepped forward, her hands on Chloe’s shoulders. Because despite it all, the most overwhelming of her emotions was the desire she had in that instant to make whatever was hurting Chloe disappear. 

“Come on, we all know,” Stacie said, even though CR had thrown a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head to keep Stacie from acting at all. “You don’t have to play stupid, Becs. Chloe’s, like, in  _love_ with you.” 

“Thanks, Stace,” Chloe said. 

“Sorry.” Stacie stepped back into the sidelines, but Chloe just scratched her forehead, looking away and trying her best to stay away from Beca’s stare. She sighed. 

“You can’t really expect me not to do anything when you look like that, Beca,” Chloe said. “It’s kind of like torture.” 

“Chloe,” Beca said, her voice dry. A whisper, really. It was that second that the actions clicked, and Beca had felt like she’d lost everything that was within her in that second. She felt like she was nothing but air, floating slightly above the crowd that had gathered in the kitchen. She felt, too, somehow, like she was made of cement, slowly sinking into the ground. “Chloe, I _swear_ I didn’t know. I wasn’t doing this on purpose. I…” she shook her head, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m really dumb. I really didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine,” Chloe said, shirking off Beca’s hand when she reached out. “I’m fine. Like I said.” 

“No, Chlo,” Beca stepped even closer, reaching out slowly this time to run her hand up and down Chloe’s bare arm. “I’m  _really_ dumb. I’m wearing this costume for you.” 

“I know that’s why I’m telling you to stop!”

“No,” Beca closed her eyes, sighing. “I’m wearing it  _for you_. As in, I would never in a million years be caught in something like this. But I knew you’d like it. So I’m wearing it. And giving poor legacy an eyeful of sideboob.” 

Emily grunted in uncomfortable agreement, and Chloe chuckled weakly. 

“This is not a thing I’m comfortable with, but I’m wearing it for you. Because you make me feel like I can pull some shit like this off, and because…okay so I saw you tonight and…I wanted to kinda make you feel the way I felt when I saw you. You’re hot, you know.” 

“I know,” she said. She was wiping at the mascara dripping from her eyes, but the quick response made both her and Beca laugh. 

“Chloe,” Beca said, wiping away the final traces of makeup for Chloe. “I need you to answer me seriously now.” 

The redhead nodded, trying to avoid Beca’s eyes but failing because of her proximity. 

“Was Stacie telling the truth?” 

“Is Ariel your favorite princess?” Chloe asked, her words filled with a teasing tone but her eyes scared. She finished by biting her lip, and if the action wasn’t so adorable, it would be saturated in anxiety. Beca sighed, a grin peeking out from the corners of her lips. 

“That’s not an answer.” 

“It kinda is,” Chloe said, shrugging. Beca smiled, then, at Chloe’s nonchalance, and at the way her voice had gotten higher since she’d started getting emotional, and the way she could feel her own eyes flitting down to Chloe’s lips, aware and unafraid of what it might mean. The third or fourth time it happened, she let them linger, taking in a breath the minute Chloe let out a small gasp. Then, the lips were gone, and replaced with them was the back of Beca’s eyelids as she felt Chloe’s nose touch hers, moving to her cheek to get the right angle when she kissed her. 

Beca’s hands moved to Chloe’s hair, while Chloe’s found purchase on her hips, and it was only when Amy hooted and Jessica and Ashley applauded that the two decided to part for air. 

“Lady jam works everytime,” Beca said, the tone she’d been used to using throughout the course of their flirting game back and stronger than ever. Chloe smiled broadly, winking when she answered with, “Oh you have no idea.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up at flabbergasties.tumblr.com, BROSIES


End file.
